The Guardians Omnibus

by Damien Benoit-Ledoux

  “Can you fly higher?”

  “Sure, hang on!”

  Blake tightened his arms and legs around Quinn as his best friend pulled up and rocketed straight up at an amazing velocity. He looked down and his stomach flip-flopped as they pulled away from the ground. “Ooh, man. I didn’t think I was scared of heights, but apparently I am.”

  “That goes away once you realize you can’t fall. Hold on tight!”

  Blake squeezed harder and Quinn looped backward. Blake shouted in fear and excitement, clinging to Quinn upside down as he circled around until they leveled off and flew north again.

  “Holy shit! Don’t ever do that again,” Blake said through excited and nervous laughter, his heart racing in his chest.

  “You loved it,” Quinn shouted back. “You’ll be ready for it next time. If you think that was scary, you’ll love this.”

  “No!” Blake shouted. Then, Quinn disappeared beneath him. Blake squeezed, realizing he was still there, but invisible. “Ha ha, very funny.”

  Quinn reappeared and accelerated. “Come on, let’s get this over with.”

  Blake sighed and watch the trees pass by under him. Something was bugging Quinn, but he couldn’t tell what it was. On Thursday and Friday, Quinn seemed standoffish and didn’t speak with him much, preferring to spend time with Ravone, Loren, and of course, Keegan.

  He frowned.

  Of all the times for Quinn to become romantically involved with someone, now was the worst time because everything had changed for them. Blake knew Quinn had no control over where his heart led him, but he figured Quinn’s nervousness would keep him away from Keegan. Instead, Keegan proved to be the unexpected variable, gently coaxing Quinn out of the closet and into pride-filled living. Of course, Blake couldn’t deny feeling a newfound confidence with the onset of his powers, a reality he assumed Quinn shared as well. He also couldn’t deny his friend the joy of living his truth.

  But now, they were involved—no, caught up—in the business of The Order and Blake knew Quinn resented Victor for getting them mixed up in it beyond their hospital visit. He also knew Quinn respected Blake’s desire to have something to aspire to that was uniquely his own and wouldn’t be shared with anyone else, not even his best friend—except when Victor asked him to involve Quinn—a confusing action that Blake initially dismissed until Quinn pointed out its strangeness.

  Several moments later, they flew over Mooselookmeguntic Lake and then Rangeley Lake. In the middle of the lake, Quinn banked left and flew up the inlet toward the Orgonon property.

  “Which building is it?” Quinn asked.

  “What?”

  “There are two houses on the property. The white house we saw and the stone house in the back. I looked it up on Google Maps. I don’t remember the stone house when we came back to explore the chamber.”

  “Right…I think the White House in the front is the museum or something. It’s the stone house in the back that gets you into the underground facility.”

  “Okay, I’m gonna fly left and land in the woods where that tunnel is. I’m gonna need your help finding it.”

  “Sounds good. Fly up a bit so we can find that line of fallen trees.

  “Good idea.” Quinn banked left over the Orgonon property and ascended over the woods, steering away from the field of antennas and collectors.

  “There’s the top of the reactor,” Blake said, briefly pointing over his right shoulder.

  “And there’s the storm-downed tree line,” Quinn said. He flew to the edge of the fallen trees and landed.

  “If we ever fly cross-country this way, I’m gonna need to figure out a more comfortable way to fly with you.” Blake hopped off and stretched his arms over his head, gently rocking his body from side to side. “Maybe I need to sit on your back like a horse,” Blake added, laughing.

  Quinn laughed with him. “Awkward. Hopefully you get flying powers really quick, then.”

  Blake smiled. It’s fun, being back with Quinn, but I hope he’s able to accept what’s about to happen, that I can only go so far in this little plan of his…

  2-23 | The Assault Begins

  Blake

  THOUGH THE SKY HAD BRIGHTENED a little, the sun hadn’t risen yet. According to Blake’s smartphone, the sun would rise just after seven-thirty. The boys quietly made their way through the dark woods, looking for hidden cameras in the trees. Quinn put his right fist up like soldiers did in movies to signal stop. Then, Quinn’s index finger pointed to something in front of them and Quinn faded from view.

  Blake looked ahead, became invisible, and saw two armed guards strolling through the woods. The infrared night-vision goggles they had were propped up on their foreheads and completely useless to them at the moment.

  “I’ve got this,” Blake said. Remember what Victor said; “Don’t hurt them too bad, just make it look convincing to Quinn.”

  He reached out with his mind and grabbed the semi-automatic guns from their hands. Startled, they froze. Blake spun the weapons around and clocked the guards on the back of the head with the rifle butts.

  “You’re good at that,” Quinn said, without flinching.

  Blake smiled. “I practice with things in the house when I’m bored.” The rifles fell to the ground next to the guards.

  “Makes sense. Let’s stay invisible. I see a couple more guards over there, and another set behind them.”

  “Damn, they’ve really stepped up security since…” he let his voice trail off, hoping to avoid another awkward conversation-turned-fight.

  “Since Mother Superior zapped you?”

  “Yeah, that,” Blake said, letting the topic lie.

  Ahead of them, the closest set of guards were looking right at them, their night-vision goggles down. One of them grabbed the microphone on his lapel. “Mark, Sandoval, what are you two doing? Base, 10-53.”

  “Acknowledged,” the radio squawked.

  “He’s looking right at us,” Quinn said.

  “No, he’s looking through us at the two guards I knocked out. Those goggles must be thermal and not just night-vision. I bet he can see their bodies slumped on the ground.”

  “Gawd, we watch too much television.”

  “Base, possible 10-12.” The guard said into his radio. Then, to his partner, he said, “Come on, something’s wrong.”

  They raised their semi-automatic weapons and crouched low, slowly making their way toward their fallen comrades.

  “You have to take them out. I don’t know what those codes mean but I think they know someone’s here now.”

  “Won’t be a problem for long.”

  Blake focused and ripped the weapons from their hands, knocking them unconscious with the rifle butts. They collapsed to the ground, then their rifles fell to the earth.

  “I see the bunker,” Quinn said, shimmering into existence.

  Blake followed Quinn to the bunker, which was in the opposite direction of the third set of guards. When they ran around the concrete structure to the entrance, they abruptly stopped.

  “What the hell?” Quinn said.

  “Oh, wow.” Blake put his hands on his hips and reappeared. New rebar mesh and concrete had been set over the tunnel entrance, preventing them from gaining access to the reactor core from the tunnel.

  “I still think that Keep Out sign doesn’t apply to us, don’t you?” Blake asked. He pushed up his sleeves and squatted in front of the rebar. Then, he superheated his hands and grabbed at the rebar, pulling it away from the mesh of steel as it turned to molten metal at his touch.

  “That’s wicked cool,” Quinn said.

  Blake smiled. “It’s really cool until you start burning through all your clothes. I’ve had to learn how to localize it, otherwise right now I’d be shirtless, or worse.”

  “Thank heaven for small miracles,” Quinn answered, laughing. “It’s kinda like my water powers—if I’m not careful I’ll get soggy sleeves, or a bad case of swamp ass.”

  Blake chuckled. A minute lat
er, he finished pulling the last of the rebar out of their way.

  “Grab some flashlights,” Blake said, turning his back to Quinn. Since he had to ride on Quinn’s back, Blake carried their backpack of supplies. Quinn grabbed what he needed and zipped the backpack up. Handing a flashlight to Blake, he stepped through the molten rebar mess. Blake followed, and the boys made their way into the tunnel for the third time.

  The damp, earthy smell inside the tunnel became stronger as they descended to the reactor core door. “I’m surprised they kept the tunnel open.” Quinn said, breaking the monotonous shuffling sound of their feet echoing in the long, concrete tunnel. “I would have filled the entrance with several feet of concrete to keep people—us—out.”

  “I think it’s a heat vent, but that’s just a guess,” Blake answered.

  Moments later, they reached the familiar, rusting door that blocked their path. The boys turned off their flashlights and Quinn pulled on the door knob. With a soft scratching sound, the metal door opened. A faint blue light illuminated the room. They stepped into the chamber cautiously, looking around for signs of life. When they saw none, Blake clicked on his flashlight and let go of the door. The old door closer hissed as it pulled the door shut behind them.

  Why didn’t they just bolt this door shut instead? Maybe it’s not a vent at all.

  Quinn confidently walked into the chamber to the center of the metal platform disk in the floor. “Okay, so all these panels should…”

  He stopped speaking and looked blankly at the wall in front of him.

  “What?” Blake asked, listening with super hearing.

  “Come here,” Quinn whispered.

  Blake warily stepped onto the disk with Quinn, unsure if it would activate again.

  “Can you feel it? The orgone in the chamber…”

  Blake closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and focused. “No…wait…” He reached out with his hands and waited. At first, it was faint, almost non-existent, but it was there; the subtle energy he felt behind his glowing eyes surround him in the reactor core.

  Quinn got down on one knee and placed the palm of his right hand flat on the metal surface. “The batteries are holding a minimal charge, and I can draw power from them.” He looked up at Blake, his eyes glowing bright blue. He placed his other hand on the disk.

  “No way!” Blake knelt and put his hands flat on the metal disk as well. “How do you draw it?”

  “I…don’t know…it’s just…flowing to me. It’s so…intoxicating.”

  Blake looked at Quinn with curiosity and surprise. Quinn burst out laughing and said, “I’m just teasing. But it feels great, though.”

  A moment later, Blake felt tingling in his hands and arms as the orgone traveled into his body. “Oh wow, it’s just…happening. I don’t even have to do anything!”

  “I know, right? It’s like we can absorb orgone right out of the batteries.”

  “I wonder if this is a recharge or a top-off?”

  “Or, are our powers getting stronger or are we getting new powers?” Quinn asked.

  “Or something else completely?” Blake asked.

  “I guess we’ll find out, buddy.”

  Blake smiled. Quinn seemed to forget about their squabbles for the moment and it felt good to have his friend back. Several moments later, an alarm sounded somewhere in the control room next to the reactor core, startling the boys.

  “It’s about time they put an energy drain alarm down here, assuming that’s what it is,” Quinn said. “Quick, you need to rearrange and randomize the panels as fast as you can.”

  “Okay, but stay down. Things are gonna get crazy in here.”

  Blake stood and looked around the chamber. Some of the energy he sensed coursed through his body while the rest, he assumed, energized Quinn. He extended his hands out to his sides and focused, hoping the panels would detach and reattach easily.

  Quinn squatted, ready to pounce on the control room door if anyone came through it.

  Click.

  The first panel unlocked and pulled away from the wall and flew across the chamber, spun around, and hovered, ready to lock into a new location vacated by a second panel that pulled away from the wall.

  Click.

  Click.

  Click.

  One after another, random panels unlocked and pulled away from their mounted locations and flew across the chamber, reattaching and locking onto different locations.

  “I think I’ve got the hang of this,” Blake said, laughing as more and more panels locked and unlocked in a cacophony of clicking sounds.

  Fifteen seconds later, the last of the panels locked into position, leaving only a noticeable haze of dust floating in the chamber.

  “Well, that was neat,” Quinn said, standing. “I’m impressed.” They stood silently for a few moments, staring at Blake’s handiwork and waiting for something to happen.

  “Uh, okay, I guess we need to power it on now. Let’s go upstairs and find that big red switch.” Quinn said.

  “Sure.” Blake led the way to the antiquated control room, pausing momentarily to listen at the door and make sure no one was on the other side. Though an alarm sounded at one of the old computer terminals, no one cared to find out what was wrong. He pushed the door open and they slipped into the room and looked around.

  “Hopefully there’s no one on duty this weekend,” Quinn said, checking out the ancient computers.

  Blake studied the room. No one had disturbed anything since their last visit—at least that he could see. He walked through the control room and the narrow corridor that led to the antiquated elevator that would bring them up to the modern facility. He pressed the call button and the machinery whirred to life, making the frame and the suspended chains shudder and clink as the elevator car jolted and began its descent.

  “I’m really surprised they didn’t replace that, especially if the facility is as modern and advanced as you say it is.” Quinn said.

  Blake shrugged. “Maybe someone has a thing for keeping historical structures intact, even if they’re part of a creepy underground reactor.”

  “Meh, let’s be honest, it’s more an energy accumulator than a reactor core. That’s what it would be in the comic books.”

  “A what?”

  “They call it a reactor core, but does this really seem like a reactor core? It’s not powering anything…it’s just accumulating energy they can disperse whenever they want. It’s not a power source…”

  Blake shrugged. “I guess.” A moment later, the elevator car stopped, and the machinery powered down. Blake slid the antiquated gates aside and followed Quinn into the car.

  “Going up!” Quinn quipped, pressing the up button. Blake slid the gate shut behind him. The elevator machinery groaned back to life and the car jolted as it ascended.

  “There will probably be guards up there, and I’m sure they know we’re coming.” Blake said. He turned to face the door that would open toward the hallway above. “The control room is to the left and the door is electronically secured, but obviously that won’t stop us. I’ll just force the door open with my mind.”

  “Great. Anything else?”

  Blake shrugged. “I assume there are no special projects this weekend and staffing is light. Hopefully, Victor isn’t here either.”

  The elevator car abruptly stopped when it leveled with the upper floor. “Okay then, here goes nothing,” Quinn answered.

  Blake slid the gate aside and stepped forward.

  2-24 | Plots Within Plots

  Quinn

  THE EXTERIOR, MODERN LOOKING ELEVATOR doors on the other side of the antiquated gate slid open and Blake stepped through the doorway, leading the way to the control room.

  “It’s down here on the left, but I don’t think there’s one big red button to push.”

  “Well, duh, but we’ll figure something out.”

  When they reached the control room door, other doors along the hallway slid open and armed guards burst out of
those doorways and assumed offensive positions, their weapons aimed at Quinn and Blake. Behind him, he heard several guards pop out of a doorway they had just passed.

  “What the hell?” Blake exclaimed, startled.

  Quinn gasped. “It’s a trap. Get down!”

  Blake turned and looked at Quinn, a shocked expression on his face. “I didn’t know, I swear.”

  “I believe you,” Quinn lied, noting his best friend’s shifting eyes. The boys crouched, back to back, ready to fight their way out. What have you gotten me into, Blake? I need to know what’s going on around here and why they’ve convinced Blake to work with them, especially since they've double-crossed him…or did he double-cross me?

  Then, the sound of high heels on the metal laminate floor click-clacked in the hallway. “Hold your fire,” a woman’s voice said.

  Blake frowned and whispered, “It’s Mother Superior.”

  She stopped and clapped her hands in mock applause as she stepped into view from behind the forward guards. She stopped and shifted her weight to her left leg. An evil smirk crossed her face as Victor appeared behind her.

  She crossed her arms over her chest. “Oh Blake, you’re so predictable. I always knew that when push came to shove, you would crawl back to Quinn, so I used you as bait to bring him to us. The Order thanks you for playing your part in his capture.”

  “My part?” Blake shouted incredulously.

  “Take them down.”

  Taser fire erupted around them.

  “No!” Blake shouted, twisting out of the way and deflecting a set of electrified prods away from his body, but another set caught his arm and sent him crashing to the floor.

  Quinn reacted a split second too late, his defensive shield forming as a set of taser prods made contact with his back. Surprisingly, it didn’t hurt, but his body failed him, and he collapsed on top of Blake, his head landing on his buddy’s stomach. For a moment, everything around him went blurry. Then, everything went dark.

  ❖

  Blake

  Blake awoke with a shout, his body tensing and his hands forming fists. The guards standing around him adjusted their stance, startled by his outcry. They aimed their tasers at him.